Improvement in harvesting-machines



,f/ 3 Shees--Sheet 1. W. H. BURKHART.

Harvester. l No. 52,264. Patented Jany 30, 1866.

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w. H. BURKHART.

, Harvester. l

No. 52,264. Patented Jany 30, 1866.

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Harvester.

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N6. 62,264. n Patented 1any3o,1666.

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IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTlNG-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVlLLlAM H. BURK- I-IART, of Bucyrus, in the countyof Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in vHarvesting-1Viachines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clean-and exact description thereof,reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of that portion of aharvesting-machine which I have improved. Fig. 2 is an elevation of thatside of the machine Which carries the cutting apparatus. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a top view of the rectangularbrace for the cutting apparatus. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, showingthe form of the main frame.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- My invention relates,first, to a novel mode of hinging the linger-beam of the cuttingapparatus to the main or draft frame of the machine; second, to a novelguard and bearing formed on the front part of the main frame, inconnection with a novel journal of the brace or coupling of the cuttingapparatus and ngerbeam; third, to a novel construction of the main ordraft frame as a whole; fourth, to a novel construction of the couplingor brace of the linger-beam and cutting apparatus.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation.

The frame A is supported upon two transporting-wheels, B B', with theaxle B2 running through it, and this frame consists of two sidebars,which are curved outward, and two transverse bars, ce b, which areboth depressed. The rear portion, b, of the frame is extended aroundbehind the wheel B', and has a tubular bearing, c, formed on it, and theforward portion of this frame is extended horizontally across the frontpart of said wheel, and forms a support for the contrivance for raisingand lowering the cutting apparatus, which will be hereinafter described.At an intermediate point between the ends of the front bar c, I castwith the frame a cup-shaped guard, d, which projects from the lower sideof said bar and forward thereof, and receives within it the crank-wheelwhich' gives motion to the sickle.

At the upper and forward extremity of this guard d is formed a tubularbearing, d', the axis of which coincides with that of the tubularbearing c at the rear part of the frame, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and5. On the inside of the side bar of frame A which is nearest the wheel Bis a projection, @,which is intended to form a forward bearing for ashort pinionshaft, g, the rea-r end ot' which is supported upon the barb. Semicircular depressions are formed in the frame A at suitablepoints, to receive 'the transverse axle B2, and the two longitudinalshafts g g', as shown in Fig. 5, andan eye-bearin g, It, may be cast onthe projection in front of the wheel B', to receive the end of atransverse shaft which is used in raising and depressing the cuttingapparatus. The frame A thus constructed presents the form shown iu Fig.5, and it is cast in one piece so as to possess strength and lightness.To this frame is pivoted a rectangular brace, C, consisting of alongitudinal bar extending from the tubular bearing c outside of thewheel B' to a transverse bar which extends from the tubular bearing d'downward and outward in front of wheel B', and has pivoted to it thefinger-beam B, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The brace C is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 4, and it will be seen thatthe two bars thereot' are rigidly connected together, and that the endsof these bars are hooked, so that if continued across they would formthe hypotenuse of a right-angle triangle, as indicated by the red lineasx, Fig. 4. This line as rv will be the axis of motion of the brace Cwhen it is pivoted to the bearings c d', as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and3, and in raising it from the ground it will move backward. The sameresult would be obtained if, instead of the tube @,the rear end of thebrace C were connected by a hook-and-eye or link fastening to theframeA. I prefer, though, to employ the tubular bearings at both ends ofthe frame, as described. By thus pivoting the brace C to the frame A itaffords an unyielding resistance to the finger-beam D against backwardthrust and holds the cutters firmly down to their work, at the same timeallowing the cutting apparatus to rise and fall in passing over unevensurfaces. Another advantage which arises from this mode of connectingthe brace is that there is so little play allowed that the joints willnot be liable to wear loose and cause an imperfect working of thesickle.

To the outer end of the short shaft z' a segment, j, is keyed, which isconstructed with a groove and tube for receiving a chain, 7c,which isconnected to the brace C. The upper end of the groove has a slot in itfor receiving and retaining the chain 7c, and admitting of this chainbeing shortened or lengthened at pleasure. The opposite end of therock-shaft z' has its bearings in a toothed or ratchet segment, Z, whichis suitably aftiXedto the frame A, and which is intended for receivin gapaWl, m, that is pivoted to a lever, m', upon the shaft i. The pawlcatches into the teeth of the segment and sustains the cutting apparatusin an elevated position when desired.

A large bevel spur-WheeLE, is keyed on the axle B2, and en gages withthe teeth of a pinion- Wheel which is keyed on a short shaft, g,\vhichis supported in bearings upon frame A at both ends, as above described.On the rear end of this shaft g is a large spur-Wheel, G,Whicl1 engageswith a pinion, Gr', on a shaft, g. This shaft has its bearings on thefront and rear ends of the frame A, and carries on its front end thecrank-Wheel J, which turns freely in a guard, d., which protects it fromgrass, &c., and which constitutes a bearing for the for- Ward end of theswinging-brace C, as above described. The object of providing a forwardbearing for the pinion-shaft g is to prevent this shaft from Wearinguntrue, as it would do if it had but one point of support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Pivoting the ends of the rectangular linger-beam brace C to the frameof the machine, substantially in the manner shown and described, so thatthe axes of motion of these ends or pivots will coincide with each otherand admit of the linger-beam being elevated or depressed bodily.

2. The concave guard d, constructed with the oblique bearing d andformed upon the front part of the frame A, in combination With the braceor coupling C, constructed with an oblique journal to Work in bearingrd', substantially as described.

3. The construction of the frame A in thel manner represented in Fig. 5,and as herein described, for the purpose'set forth.

4. Theconstrnction of the brace or coupling arm C C as represented inFig. 4, and as herein described, for the purpose set forth.

A W. H. BURKHART. Witnesses:

S. R. HARRIS, J. R. ULYMER.

